China’s Ambassador to the UN Sha Zukang admonished Washington yesterday of interfering in Beijing’s domestic affairs, particularly in its military program. Asked by a BBC reporter about China’s growing military budget, Sha Zukang did not contain himself and shouted out: “The population of China is six times as much as that of the United States. So, it’s time for Americans to shut up and keep quiet. They will be better off like this.”

“The United States have the right to settle domestic problems on its own, so let them not pry into China’s internal affairs,” the Chinese diplomat said. Sha Zukang also warned that if Taiwan declares independency and any country recognizes it, China will apply military force. “It is not a question of how big Taiwan is. Each centimeter of Chinese land is more important to us than lives of our soldiers,” the Chinese ambassador to UN stated openly.

China has not spoken so harsh on the Taiwan issue for a couple of years. These blunt words may cost Sha Zukang his post and career but the speech of China’s ambassador to the UN shows the hardening of the Chinese leadership’s stance on the Taiwan issue and possible conflict with the United States.